Gang disk implement



July 13, 1943. F. w. COFFING 2,324,065

GANG DISK IMPLEMENT Filed Nov. 21, 1941 Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GANG DISK IMPLEMENT Fredrick W. Coffing, Danville, Ill.

Application November 21, 1941, Serial No. 419,871

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a farm disk implement and more particularly to the mounting of disks in multiple. This application is a continuuation-in-part of the copending application, Serial No. 401,818, filed July 10, 1941, and entitled Gang disk implement.

One object of the invention is as set forth in the copending application referred to, to-wit, a mounting of the disks of a disk implement, such that upon disk engagement with a minor obstruction, the obstruction engaging disk can automatically shift its position relative to other disks to clear said obstruction or if an obstruction be encountered that normally would wedge between adjacent disks, the said adjacent disks may each be shifted relative to each other so that the obstruction may freely pass between said adjacent disks.

Another chief object of the invention is to so mount centrally apertured disks upon a central supporting shaft that said disks do not cut through the shaft, this cutting action being particularly emphasized in a disk implement wherein the disks are yieldingly mounted to accomplish the before mentioned object.

One feature of the present invention, therefore, resides in the yielding mounting of the several disks constituting a single gang thereof in a disk implement.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of means carried by a disk or extending through the same and having opposite ends seated in matching recesses in the confront ing faces of adjacent disk supporting hub structures carried by the shaft, whereby the strain incident to rotation is not imposed on the disk immediately at the central aperture thereof so that the disk will not wear and cut into the shaft, the means extending through the disk being so arranged that when the disk is capable of axial deflection in one direction or the other from its central position, said means extending through the disk, notwithstanding such deflection, maintains the operative association with the confronting hub portions supporting that disc.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims.

I In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged central sectional view of a drawbar connection and a plurality of yieldingly mounted disks in a single gang, both ends of the gang being illustrated, the aforesaid embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central sectional View of a modified form of drawbar connection and a modified form of pin mounting.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. l and in the direction of the arrows.

For a more complete understanding of the range of usefulness of the invention disclosed herein other than the shaft cutting preventing arrangement, reference is had to the before mentioned copending application.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, 10 indicates an elongated shaft, herein shown having a polygonal outline, preferably square in cross section. This shaft has one end H reduced and threaded as at 12. Its opposite end is enlarged as at l3.

Mounted on said shaft ID are a plurality of dished cultivating disk members l4, each of which is centrally apertured as at l5. As shown in Fig. 3 by the dotted line, this central opening may be but slightly larger than the circumscribed circle of the shaft structure Ill; hence, so far as the shaft periphery is concerned, the disk opening wall does not have engagement with the shaft. Thus, cutting of the shaft incident to disk rotation or deflection does not occur, because as hereinafter pointed out, the disks are so supported that they rotate with and by the shaft or conversely but not through direct engagement. However, whenever desired, this central aperture may have an outline complementary to that of the shaft as is common to conventional structures but, the driving, as distinguished therefrom, still is through the means included between the shaft and disk and not through the aperture except upon means failure.

Adjacent each disk 14 is a hub portion, see Fig. 1. Herein hub I6 has a convex face 16a and hub I! has a concave face Ila, the curvature being complementary to those of the interposed disk. The hub portion l6 has a slightly elongated tubular extension lBb and the hub portion I! has a slightly elongated tubular portion llb.

As shown in Fig. 1, there is interposed between the opposite face I of the hub means l6 and the opposite face llc of the hub means H a coil spring I8, said spring being concentric with the shaft 10 so that the opposite ends of the spring bear on said adjacent faces I60 and Ilc. Any desired number of disks may be so mounted on the shaft. These hub means normally maintain the disk in the full line position, as shown relative to the centrally positioned disk, illustrated in Fig. 1.

Upon the disk engaging an obstruction or a wedge arrangement, the disk is deflected laterally incident to the forward movement of the implement and the two dotted representations to the right and left of the full line position of the central disk in Fig. 1 illustrate the maximum amount of deflection possible with this construction.

It will be observed that the end member 2?, having the concave face 21a engaging the adjacent disk I4, is provided with a frusto pyramidal aperture 210. The frusto pyramidal enlargement [3 on the shaft I is seated therein; hence, when the disks are assembled upon the shaft with the included springs and hub means, the force of the respective springs and the spacing may be adjusted by means of the nut 28 bearing on washer 29, in turn bearing on the face I80 of the end hub or outermost hub means IS.

A lock nut 30 preferably is provided to secure the parts in the adjusted position. The several spring means normally tend to equalize throughout the gang and substantially uniformly space, as it were, the several disks on the shaft.

It willbe quite evident that from the Fig. 3 as well as Fig. 2, the central bores through each of the hub means have a portion, and herein the entire portion of said bore, of a form which is complementary to that of the shape of the shaft so that all hub means rotate with the shaft and except for the extreme end hub means at opposite ends of the shaft, each hub means is capable of axial movement relative to the shaft.

As shown in Fig. 1, one of the hub means H and herein III, is extended as at [SI and forms a chamber I32 in which is housed the spring I8. The free end l3ia of this sleeve portion, as it were, is telescopically associated with the immediately adjacent hub means It and more particularly the portion I61) thereof. This sleeve portion is cylindrical in its external outline and rotatably mounted thereon is a structure or hearing 40 that provides a pair of spaced ears 4! apertured at 42 to permit connection mounting of a draft element, whereby the disk gang may be moved. As shown in the copending application, at least two of the aforesaid draft connections or their equivalents are provided for each disk gang.

Each of the disks is provided with a plurality of arcuately spaced and herein equally spaced and radially equidistant apertures 56, see Fig. 3. Each of the hub portions ll is provided with a similar number of parallel and similarly spaced and positioned recesses 5|. Preferably these are of closed type, the recesses opening upon the disk confronting face Ha of hub II. In a like manner, the hub means I6 is provided with a similar number of similarly positioned recesses 52 opening upon the disk confronting face liia.

A pin 53 is seatable in the aperture 50 and has one end, herein, end 54, see Fig. 1, suitably formed for press-fitting reception, seating and anchorage in the recess 5|. The other and oppositely projecting end 55 is slidably mounted in the recess 52. Herein three of said pins are provided for each disk construction and they are positioned as close to the central aperture as possiblesee particularly Fig. 3.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, therefore, that inasmuch as the hub means is nonrotatable but slidably associated with the shaft [0, and since the hub means are pin associated with the several disks, that all the disks, hub means and shaft rotate as a unit and without any wear or cutting action occurring between the disk and the shaft.

It will also be apparent more particularly see the central portion of Fig. 1, that notwithstanding deflection of the disk to either maximum position, represented by the dotted lines at opposite sides of the full line representation of the disk, the several pins extending through the disk nevertheless remain seated in the recesses and maintain the proper mating or matching position at all times, regardless of the degree of disk deflection. Also, as is apparent from Fig. 1, the mounting of the aforesaid disks is such that dirt and the like cannot accumulate between the respective parts directly associated with the pins so dirt cannot accumulate in the recesses and prevent pin seating.

Reference now will be had to Fig. 2 wherein there is illustrated a modified form of the invention. This form of the invention departs in two respects from that previously described. In the first instance, the concavely faced hub portion 2!? has its recesses 25! threaded as at 25la. The pins 253 are seated in the pin receiving apertures 253 in the disk 2M and the end 254 of said pin is complementarily threaded for thread anchorage in the threaded recess 25 l.

The recesses 252 opening upon the convex face Zita of the hub H6 in the manner previously described, slidably seat or nest the ends 255 of the pins 253. The free end of said portion 255 may be kerfed as at 2555 for screw driver application so that the pins may be readily threaded into the threaded recesses in the hub 2H previously to assembling the parts together in gang formation. It will be obvious that this type of mounting of the pins may be substituted for that illustrated in Fig. 1 without departing from the invention.

Again referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the draft connection is different from that shown in Fig. l and herein the sleeve portion 240 provides the chamber 232 in which is housed the spring 2E6 encircling the shaft 2). In this form of the invention there is interposed between the ends of the spring H8 and th face 2H0 of the hub means 211 and the face 2160 of the hub means 216, ball race structures. Herein, 260 indicates the exterior of the race structure and Zfil the interior thereof, said exterior and interior elements being spaced apart by the antifriction balls 262. The interior member 26! is provided with a bore 26hr which has an outline complementary to that of the shaft 290 so that the inner member ZiB rotates with the shaft. The outer member 26!) is provided with a cylindrical surface 26% and the interior 245a of the portion 248 receives said exterior members 260. The portion 2430 supports said exterior members 288. The portion 24?! supports a pair of spaced ears 24L or bearing, which i apertured as at 242 for draft connection et cetera, all as illustrated and described in the copending application referred to.

In the movement of the disks, the springs compress and extend. The draft connection may pivot about the axis of the shaft in both forms of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. It will also be apparent the form of pin mounting and connection illustrated in Fig. 1 may be readily employed in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2 without departing from the invention.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered a illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a disk cultivator a disk having a central, mounting only, opening therein, a polygonally sectioned supporting shaft extending therethrough, the disk opening being larger than the circumscribed circle including the polygonal section, disk supporting hub-like means at opposite sides and independent of the disk and on said shaft and rotatable therewith, one of said disk supporting mean having a similarly outlined bore therethrough, means normally constraining that hub-lik means toward predetermined position, said constraining means being slidable axially of the shaft, and disk driving elongated means carried by one of said hub means and extending through the disk and into the other cooperating hub means of that disk and radially spaced from the central opening in that disk and constituting the sole driving connection of the disk to the shaft for disk rotation in shaft rotation, the elongation of said driving means permitting disc deflection axially of the shaft as well as axial movement of the constrained slidable hub means without disassociation of the driving means from the other of the first mentioned hublike means.

2. A disk cultivator, as defined by claim 1, wherein the elongated driving means comprises a plurality of arcuately spaced elements, each of which extend through the disk and each of which has its opposite ends seated in matching openings in the confronting faces of the hub means associated with the included disk for disk rotation with the shaft.

3. A disk cultivator, as defined by claim 1, wherein the elongated driving means comprises a plurality of arcuately spaced elements, each of which extend through th disk and each of which has its opposite ends seated in matching openings in the confronting faces of the hub means associated with the included disk for disk rotation with the shaft, one end of each elongated element having a pressure .fitted anchorage in its hub seating opening.

4. A disk cultivator, as defined by claim 1 wherein the elongated driving means comprises a plurality of arcuately spaced elements, each of which extend through the disk and each of which has its opposite ends seated in matching opening in the confronting face of the hub means associated with the included disk for disk rotation with the shaft, one end of each elongated element having a thread arrangement and one of the hub means having its element receiving opening provided with a thread arrangement for threaded mounting of the threaded end of th elongated element.

5. In a disk cultivator a disk having a central, mounting only, opening therein, a polygonally sectioned supporting shaft extending therethrough, the disk opening being larger than the circumscribed circle including the polygonal sec tion, disk supporting hub-like means at opposite sides and independent of the disk and on said shaft and rotatable therewith, one of said disk supporting means having a similarly outlined bore therethrough, means normally constraining that hub-like means toward predetermined position, said constraining means being slidable axially of the shaft, disk driving elongated means carried by one of said hub means and extending through the disk and into th other cooperating hub means of that disk and radially spaced from the central opening in that disk and constituting the sole driving connection to the shaft for disk rotation in shaft rotation, the elongation of said driving means permitting disk deflection axially of the shaft as well as axial movement of the constrained slidable hub means without disassociation of the driving means from the other of the first mentioned hub-like means, the other of said cooperating hub means being longitudinally slidable on the shaft when the cultivator is in use, means normally constraining said other hub Means toward a second predetermined position, said predetermined positions defining a third predetermined position for the inciuded disk interposed between the pair of hub-like means at the opposite sides thereof.

6. A multi-disk type agricultural implement including a disk supporting shaft, a plurality of disks thereon, means at opposite sides and independent of each disk and supporting the same substantially parallel to the other disks, said adjacent means of adjacent disks having their adjacent ends appreciably spaced apart and slidable on said shaft towards and away from each other, yielding means initially under compression and constituting the major spacing element between adjacent disks and between each pair of spaced ends and normally constraining the means thereof to spaced relation for constraining the first mentioned means immediately separated by a disk into disk sustaining engagement therewith for simultaneous predetermined positioning of all disks but permitting forcible movement of any disk relative to the others and the shaft when required, and elongated means adjacent each disk and offset radially from the shaft axis and similarly spaced from the disk central opening and extending from opposite sides of the disk, the disk confronting faces of the disk separated spaced means including recesses parallel to the shaft axis and seating the last mentioned elongated disk associated means.

'7. A multi-disk type agricultural implement including a disk supporting shaft, a plurality of disks thereon having central, shaft receiving openings therethrough and of non-driving character, means at opposite sides and independent of each disk and supporting same substantially parallel to the other disks, said adjacent means of adjacent disks having their adjacent ends appreciably spaced apart and slidable on the shaft towards and away from each other, yielding means constituting the major spacing element between adjacent disks and initially under compression and between each pair of spaced ends of said first mentioned means and normally constraining the same to separated relation for constraining the first mentioned mean immediately separated by a disk into sustain-engagement therewith for simultaneous predetermined positioning of all disks by permitting forcible movement of any disk relative to the other and the shaft when required, and elongated means adjacent each disk and offset radially from the shaft axis and similarly spaced from the disk central opening and extending through the disk and extending from the opposite sides thereof, the disk confronting faces of the disk separated spaced mean including recesses parallel to the shaft axis and seating the last mentioned elongated di k associated means, each yielding means substantially enveloping the shaft and operatively bearing at opposite ends upon the yielding means confronting faces of the first mentioned spaced means.

8. An implement as defined by claim '7 wherein each yielding means is of coiled spring character.

9. An implement as defined by claim 6 wherein there is provided means at one end of the shaft and axially adjustable thereon for simultaneously adjusting the compression forces of all yielding means and the respective positions of all disks, all yielding mean and all first mentioned support means.

10. An implement as defined by claim 6 wherein one of the first mentioned support means includes an elongated collar portion, an elongated sleeve encircling said collar portion and telescopically associated therewith and positioned between adjacent disks, and a traction yoke pivotally associated with said sleeve.

11. An implement as defined by claim 6 wherein one of the first mentioned support means includes an elongated collar portion, an elongated sleeve encircling said collar portion and telescopically associated therewith and positioned between adjacent disks, a traction yoke pivotally associated with said sleeve, and anti-friction means between said yoke and the shaft.

12. An implement as defined by claim 6 wherein two adjacent spaced first mentioned support means each includes an elongated collar portion having a cylindrical exterior, the collar portions being directed toward each other, an anti-friction means carried by said shaft and interposed between each adjacent face of a collar portion and the adjacent end of the yielding means between said collar portions, and an elongated sleeve for drawbar connection slidable axially of and rotative about the collar portions and coaxially supported by said anti-friction means.

13. A disk cultivator as defined by claim 1 wherein each disk is of shallow dished character and the confronting faces of the disk separated disk supporting means are complementary to the confronting faces of the disk.

14. A disk cultivator as defined by claim 6 wherein each disk is of shallow dished character and the confronting face of the disk separated disk supporting means are complementary to the confronting faces of the disk and wherein all elongated means are carried by one support means and project through openings in the adjacent disk and into the registering recesses in the other adjacent support means.

FREDRICK W. COFFING. 

